The Gold Bar. You can have it if you need it.

The Gold Bar
There was once a man who lived with his wife and children in a small hut.
He was known as Weeping Tom as he used to moan, and groan, all the time, about everything. He was so negative that no one wanted to work with him Therefore, Tom and his family were quite poor.

One day, Tom was on his way home, having once again been turned away from a job, when he saw a man sitting by the road side.
“Come over and share my food. It’s a fine day isn’t it?” said the cheery man.

Tom slumped down, took a bite out of the sandwich and then out came his ever lengthening string of moans, how his life was more difficult and miserable than anyone he had ever met.
On and on he moaned until the stranger said,

“Hold on friend, I can’t enjoy my food with you going on like that. I have something for you, just what you need.” He pulled out a glistening bar from his bag....a gold bar.
“Take it. My father gave it to me a long time ago when I was going through a hard time.
He told me to use it whenever life becomes too difficult. And you know, I never have had to use it.”

Tom thanked the man. He couldn’t believe his luck. He skipped home and told his wife his plans, to sell the gold bar, but then he remembered the stranger’s words,
“Use it whenever life becomes too difficult.”
“Maybe now isn’t the right time to use the bar,” thought Tom, “for my life may be more difficult in the future, than it is now.” So he placed the gold bar on a shelf, for whenever he might need it.
And you know, even though nothing obviously had changed, everything, from that day, changed for Tom. Life was never so difficult that he had to make use of the gold bar.
Soon all the farmers were offering him work, for Tom wasn’t miserable anymore.
In no time at all he had earned enough money to buy a small cottage and some land for himself and his family.

One winter’s night, he heard a knock on the door. A tattered looking beggar stood in the doorway.
“Food, money, my life is terrible,” he whined. Tom invited him in, gave him food and drink, but still the fellow kept up his moans. “I have something just right for you,” said Tom.
He handed him the gold bar, which was covered in dust, as Tom had never used it. “Take this and use it whenever your life becomes too difficult for you,” said Tom.

The man wiped it with his coat sleeve. “Look this isn’t a gold bar,” he said. “It is covered in gold paint. You can’t fool me.” Tom peered at the bar and the man was right, it wasn’t gold.
Then he noticed some writing on it.
“I am not made of gold,” read Tom. “but if you believe I am it will give you the courage to face your life more bravely.

Tom felt embarrassed, “I am so sorry. I will give you whatever you would like.” he said.
“Now don’t you apologise, “said the beggar, “or give me anything else, for you have given me more than you think. From now on I am going to believe in myself in the same way you believed in that bar you thought was gold.” So with a cheery wave he left.

And the “Gold Bar?” It is still there if anyone should need it.

(C) by Myrna Shoa